S.R. No. 530
1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-2 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to pay
1-3 tribute to the life of Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt, a leading
1-4 South Texas philanthropist, who died October 6, 1993; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth was a native Texan
1-6 and a graduate of The University of Texas; she taught English
1-7 briefly in the Kerrville School District and then married
1-8 Howard Edward Butt, Sr., an ingenious businessman and the founder
1-9 of H. E. Butt Grocery Company; and
1-10 WHEREAS, A distinguished lady who became famous across the
1-11 state, Mrs. Butt was a dedicated homemaker who considered her
1-12 primary lifework to be that of wife, mother, and grandmother;
1-13 Mr. and Mrs. Butt had three children, Howard Edward Butt, Jr.,
1-14 Eleanor Butt Crook, and Charles C. Butt, six grandchildren, and
1-15 10 great-grandchildren; and
1-16 WHEREAS, Mrs. Butt was a remarkable individual who generously
1-17 gave of her time, energy, and funds to a wide array of humanitarian
1-18 causes; she is best known for her more than 30 years of service
1-19 in the field of mental health and mental retardation and for her
1-20 extensive participation in projects that were sponsored by the
1-21 H. E. Butt Foundation; and
1-22 WHEREAS, A highly respected civic leader, Mrs. Butt was
1-23 chairman of the first Child Welfare Board in Cameron County, first
2-1 chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Nueces County
2-2 Juvenile Probation Department, and chairman of the Board of Trustees
2-3 of the Corpus Christi Young Women's Christian Association; and
2-4 WHEREAS, She served for six years as chairman of District VI
2-5 of the American Cancer Society and organized the leaders of women's
2-6 clubs in the 15 counties involved; the first meeting for this work
2-7 was held in Mrs. Butt's home, which was the site of many meetings
2-8 for a number of organizations; and
2-9 WHEREAS, Her outstanding work in the field of mental health
2-10 and mental retardation began in 1955 when she was appointed by
2-11 Governor Allan Shivers to the governing board of Texas State
2-12 Hospitals and Special Schools, supplanted in 1965 by the Texas
2-13 Board of Mental Health and Mental Retardation; she was the only
2-14 woman member of the board for 18 years; in 1981, Mrs. Butt was
2-15 designated as Member Emeritus of the Texas Board of Mental Health
2-16 and Mental Retardation; and
2-17 WHEREAS, Mrs. Butt supported the community center movement
2-18 for the mentally ill and retarded and focused much of her attention
2-19 on improving the care of emotionally disturbed children; her work
2-20 expanded with the opening of a camping program for the mentally ill
2-21 at the Butt Foundation Camp; and
2-22 WHEREAS, For her exceptional dedication and hard work,
2-23 Mrs. Butt was awarded the 1981 Joseph McBride Sloan Award which is
2-24 given annually to the individual who contributes the most to the
2-25 welfare of children in South Texas; she was also given the first
3-1 Yellow Rose Award by the Parent Association for the Retarded of
3-2 Texas; and
3-3 WHEREAS, In 1990, a newly established Texas Department of
3-4 Mental Health and Mental Retardation award was named in Mrs. Butt's
3-5 honor, and in 1993, Mrs. Butt was chosen to receive the National
3-6 Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges' Awards Committee's
3-7 highest award for Meritorious Service to the Children of America;
3-8 and
3-9 WHEREAS, In 1934, Howard Butt established the H. E. Butt
3-10 Foundation, one of the oldest foundations in Texas, and designated
3-11 his wife as president; a major project of the foundation has been
3-12 the development of library services; and
3-13 WHEREAS, Both Mr. and Mrs. Butt were awarded the Texas
3-14 Library Association Philanthropic Award of the Year in 1968 in
3-15 recognition of their service to libraries; the award noted the
3-16 contribution to the architectural beauty of Texas libraries with
3-17 the establishment of the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library in
3-18 Kerrville; and
3-19 WHEREAS, Following in the tradition of Mrs. Butt, H. E. Butt
3-20 Grocery Company made a major contribution to the new central
3-21 library in Corpus Christi in 1985; now, Mrs. Butt's daughter,
3-22 Mrs. William H. Crook, is hosting a reception on Sunday,
3-23 March 26, 1995, in support of the Corpus Christi Public Library
3-24 Foundation with a special tribute to Mrs. Butt presented by her
3-25 granddaughter and Texas author Elizabeth Crook; and
4-1 WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt was a woman of many
4-2 talents who was devoted to helping those in need; today, while she
4-3 is greatly missed, it is evident her strong and generous spirit
4-4 continues to live on through the work of her wonderful family and
4-5 through the many accomplishments she left behind; now, therefore,
4-6 be it
4-7 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
4-8 74th Legislature, hereby honor the life and memory of
4-9 Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt and express appreciation for her
4-10 many gifts to the citizens of our state; and, be it further
4-11 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
4-12 her children, Howard Edward Butt, Jr., Eleanor Butt Crook, and
4-13 Charles C. Butt, in admiration of their mother's achievements.
4-14 Truan
4-15 Armbrister Henderson Ratliff
4-16 Barrientos Leedom Rosson
4-17 Bivins Lucio Shapiro
4-18 Brown Luna Sibley
4-19 Cain Madla Sims
4-20 Ellis Moncrief Turner
4-21 Gallegos Montford Wentworth
4-22 Galloway Nelson West
4-23 Harris Nixon Whitmire
4-24 Haywood Patterson Zaffirini
4-25 Bullock, President of the Senate
5-1 ______________________________________
5-2 President of the Senate
5-3 I hereby certify that the above
5-4 Resolution was adopted by the Senate
5-5 on March 23, 1995.
5-6 ______________________________________
5-7 Secretary of the Senate
5-8 ______________________________________
5-9 Dean of the Senate